US President Donald Trump has been invited to testify before a US Senate panel as part of an investigation into his ties with Russia during the 2016 campaign and transition. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made the announcement on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” on Sunday. “I think we could work out a way that it could be dignified, public, with questions, with [Senate Republican] Leader [Mitch] McConnell,” said the Democratic senator from New York.

Rhode Island Republican Senator Jack Reed said earlier on “Fox News Sunday” that such a measure would raise “the issue of separation of powers.” Schumer maintained that special counsel Robert Mueller, who is heading the Justice Department’s investigation, would be consulted first. The president voiced interest in testifying under oath about his conversations with former FBI Director James Comey.

Comey appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday for the first time since he was fired in the midst of an ongoing investigation into Russia’s alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

He accused Trump of trying to block a probe into ties between former national security adviser Michael Flynn and Russia, adding that the White House defamed him and the FBI in order to justify the dismissal. Meanwhile, congressional Republicans appeared to be throwing their support behind Comey rather than the president, according to Politico.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has warned that Trump may bring down his own presidency while James Lankford has said that Trump’s interactions with Comey have  “very inappropriate.”

According to Utah Senator Mike Lee, Comey “doesn’t strike me as someone who would lie under oath.” Both Trump and Russia have denied allegations of meddling in the 2016 election and collusion between his associates and the Kremlin.

Source: Presstv